The Bronx Side
by Bent137
Summary: Three Years later... Jess' thoughts return to Rory. : [Episode Three of the It Happened That Summer series, sequel to the Forbidden Fruits Trilogy.] : [Complete]


**Title: **It Happened That Summer (Episode Three: The Bronx Side)  
**Author: **Bent137  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Improv: **azure, grace, patina, vex, whim  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls or Star Wars although I am just guessing on this title since the new one isn't out.  
**Summary: **Three years after Rory's return from Washington, where has life led our heroes?  
**Authors Note: **This is a sequel to my Forbidden Fruits Trilogy. This takes place on the same day as "Episode One: The Best Friend Menace" and "Episode Two: Attack of the Clowns".  
**Spoilers: **Season Three and my 3 stories "A Fine Line", "Between Love and Hate" and "Just Hate."

It Happened That Summer:

The Bronx Side

Jess Mariano woke up late. To say this was a usual occurrence would be an understatement of gigantic proportions. It was all because of his hectic schedule. Which most often started with him waking late and tired, or on time and really tired. But that doesn't matter because today he is late and tired. He hurriedly showers and pulls on the same jeans he wore yesterday and a plain black long sleeved shirt, the only one left in the closet. He makes a mental note to do the laundry that night before hurrying out the door, messenger bag securely on his shoulder. On his way to the nearest subway entrance he stops at a corner coffee shop and buys a cup of coffee and a muffin, which he eats on the way to the subway. He tosses his empty cup in a trashcan and brushes the crumbs off of his shirt before gracefully boarding the subway train to Bronx Community College. He found a place to stand and mentally thought out his schedule. He has three classes today Psychology, English and Small Business Management. He gets out at his stop and reemerges into the bright sunlight.

*********************************

After he was done enriching his mind for the day, he made his way to his favorite bookstore. It had become a weekly ritual for him to go and find a new book for the week. As always he walked in, said hello to whomever was working the counter, this time it was the newest employee, he didn't know her name. He walked to the far right side of the bookstore and all the way to the back. Up the stairs on his left to the balcony and to the middle aisles. He remembered where he had left off and picked up there, his finger running along the spines, reading titles. Stopping when one caught his interest to pull it out and read the back. Intrigued he marked his place by turning a book out and walked to the end of the aisle where the balcony looked over the floor below. He sat in a large chair and opened the book. As always he began reading the first paragraph, then found that it did not hold his attention. He stood back up and returned the book to it's rightful place, resuming his search. This was his ritual. Sometimes he found a great book on the first try, sometimes it took quite a few. This time the second book was the winner. So he took it down stairs to the counter, paid the clerk for it, and exited examining one of the penny's that had been his change, covered with patina.

From there he headed to one of the area parks and found a bench where he could sit and study. The sky was a brilliant azure, nearly uninterrupted by clouds. He suspected what he thought clouds was actually pollution. He was engrossed in his psychology book when something in it triggered his memory to recall the summer Rory went to Washington. The memories of him and Dean vexed him. He looked up from the book and shut it, deciding he'd had enough for the day. He put the book away and began his trek to the nearest subway entrance. All the way thinking about what Rory was doing, and even Dean. He boarded the train home.

****************************************************

He tripped over some boxes as he walked in the door of his apartment. He cursed as he set his things down and set about rearranging the boxes. He'd decided to move on a whim. Now he was almost regretting the decision. He'd miss the city, and if he stayed he was sure he could take more classes at the college. His job was good, well, good enough to support him. He sat on a stool at his kitchen counter. He should think this through, maybe it wasn't too late to change his plans. He hasn't told anyone yet, except Luke. He hadn't rented a place in Stamford yet. Maybe he should make a pro-con list. Or maybe he should talk to Luke about it. Jess looked at the clock, the diner wouldn't be busy right now. Jess picked up the phone and found his phone card. He began punching in numbers, holding the phone to his ear.

"Luke's Diner," a female voice answered on the other end. 'Female, huh?' Jess began making a mental note to tease his uncle when he realized the voice sounded familiar. "Hello?" The person asked. 'Lorelai,' Jess thought.

Jess cleared his throat, "Uh, Lorelai?"

"Yeah, is that you Jess?" He heard his uncle in the background.

"Yeah, it is. Can I talk to Uncle Luke?"

"Sure, just a sec." He heard a shuffle as the phone changed hands, and he heard the two adults talking to each other. "It's Jess," Lorelai said, her voice muffled.

"Jess?" Luke asked.

"Hey Uncle Luke."

"Hi, how's things there?"

"Oh, good, good. That's kind of why I'm calling."

"Oh?"

"I'm having second thoughts about moving," Jess sighed.

"Why?"

"Well I think I'd miss the city, and my job is good enough for now, and I can keep taking classes at the college. Why should I move to a whole new city when things seem to be going so well here?"

"I can see your point, but haven't you already rented a place in Stamford?"

"No, not yet."

"Okay well let me ask you one question, does this have anything to do with Rory being closer to Stamford?"

Jess paused, "No, I actually hadn't thought of that."

"Okay," Luke sighed. "Well then, I guess if you really want to you should stay in New York."

"Do you think it's a smart decision though?"

"Yes, I do."

"Thanks Uncle Luke, I've got to go get ready for work."

"Jess," Luke's voice stopped Jess.

"Yeah?"

"I'm proud of you. You've really grown up."

"Thanks Luke."

"Have fun at work."

"Always do."

They both hung up.

*********************************************

The place was already jumping when Jess arrived for work. Classic rock music pouring into the street where a line stood waiting to enter the bar. Jess walked up to the door and said hello to Johnny, the door man before heading inside. The place was packed with warm bodies. All swaying to the beat of Nazareth's "Love Hurts." Most nursing a bottle of beer or a glass of some sort of liquor. Jess walked over to the bar and slipped through a door in the nearby wall into a room. He hung his coat on the employee coat rack and headed out.

"Jess, bring out some more ice will you?" someone yelled from the bar area.

Jess walked to the ice chest and opened it. He scooped up some ice in the bucket that was there and took it out another archway to the bar. He filled the emptying ice troughs and looked around for the owner. He found her getting an order from a customer across the bar. He was about to go over to her when someone pushed up the bar in front of him. "Hey man, can I get a Bud light?"

"Sure," Jess said. He walked over to the mini fridge under a section of the bar and pulled out a bottle of bud light as Nina, the owner, walked up next to him. "Hey, I'm here, and we're almost out of Fosters. So when I'm done with this customer I'll go get another case."

"Great," the black haired woman said. "When you're done there's a few tables up near the dance floor that have been kind of rowdy so if you could keep an eye on them it'd be great, Tony's got his hands full enough with some bachelorette party over towards the corner."

"Bachelorette party huh?" Jess smirked as he popped the top on the beer and grinned at Nina.

"Yeah, they had a stripper here earlier."

Jess grinned at the shenanigans and walked back over to the man he'd been serving, "It's your lucky night man, a buck."

The man handed Jess a dollar twenty-five, "Keep the change."


End file.
